There is a phantom killer lurking in our homes, office buildings, and schools. We cannot see it, taste it, or smell it. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is estimated to cause between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths per year making it the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths following cigarette smoking (EPA). This phantom is the radioactive gas called Radon.
Interestingly radon is a form of radiation that is a natural part of our environment. Radiation has always been in the Earth's atmosphere and without it life could not exist. However, too much radiation is lethal (Cole 7). Radiation can be a useful tool under controlled conditions such as in x-rays and cancer therapy. In some parts of Europe areas with high radon levels are thought to cure such maladies as arthritis, headaches, sores, tumors, and influenza (none of these claims has ever been proven scientifically) (Brookins I).
Radon gas is a decay product of Radium which is part......
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